John Roberts murder: Blaydon shopkeeper speaks of "lovely bloke"

Blaydon newsagent Jack Kandola who was one of the last people to see John "the badge" Roberts alive

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ONE of the last people to see John ‘The Badge’ Roberts alive before his murder today spoke about the unsolved slaying.

Mr Roberts, 32, was his usual chatty self when he called into his local shop, just hours before he was murdered.

He stopped to read the back page of the Chronicle and spoke to staff at the Kandola Bros newsagents, in Blaydon, Gateshead, when he made his daily trip to the store, on the evening of Saturday, December 15.

He left with a packet of cigarette papers for the short walk back home to Park Terrace.

But just over 24 hours later mad Toon fan Mr Roberts was found dead and, more than a month on, his killers remain at large.

Today police were taking to fans at St James’ Park as Newcastle take on Reading in a bid to find anyone who might know about the murder.

And as the hunt continues Jack Kandola, 63, who runs the shop where Mr Roberts was last seen, said: “He was always chatty, and he always used to come in and read the back page of the Chronicle, he was a mad football fan. I used to joke with him and say; ‘This isn’t a library John’.

“That night he was just his normal self. He was only in here a few minutes. He came in and read the back page, bought some cigarette papers and left.”

Mr Roberts had been a regular at Mr Kandola’s shop, on Hazel Road, for years and used to visit the same time each evening. “I have known him about 15 years,” the father-of-two said. “He was a really good bloke, a really nice lad. He came in most days to buy cigarettes or papers, He was just a lovely lovely bloke.”

But in the months leading to Mr Roberts’ death Mr Kandola watched as his appearance changed and the dad-of-one went from a clean-cut well dressed man to a bearded long-haired recluse.

Police believe his lifestyle changed when he split with his partner.

Detectives have said the change in his appearance could be significant.

Mr Kandola said: “In the earlier days he was one of the cleanest cut blokes you would ever see, He always had designer gear on and was always wearing a Burberry cap. And he would stay in here for half an hour or 45 minutes just talking.

“He was always nice and polite and I never ever heard him swear. He was just a perfect gentleman. He was always happy-go-lucky, nothing ever got him down.

“Over the last six months he went downhill. It’s just such a shame he went that way. I don’t know what happened to him I wish I knew.”

On December 15 John, who had a nine-year-old daughter Jess, called into the shop a little later than usual.

“There were four of us standing here and we were just talking about how we hadn’t seen John that day and then he walked in, at around 6.30pm,” said Mr Kandola.

He spent a few minutes in the shop, during which he had a quick look at our back page about Nile Ranger.

This is the last known sighting before he was killed.

At around 7pm the next evening officers on patrol passed his house and noticed the door was open.

They found his battered body inside. A post mortem revealed he died of head injuries.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.